Chess Puzzle #DMQV2 — Intermediate, Black to move, middlegame

Rating 1500 · Intermediate · advantage, middlegame, short.

Position

White: king g1; queen g6; rooks a1/f1; bishops d2/h7; knights a4/f3; pawns a3/b2/d4/e5/g2/h2. Black: king h8; queen c7; rooks a8/f5; bishops c8/e7; knights c6/d7; pawns a6/b5/d5/e6/g7. White is ahead by 1 point of material. Black to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: g4 — pawn g2→g4. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: Nf8 — knight d7→f8. Opponent replies gxf5 (pawn g4→f5, captures rook).
  3. Best move: Nxg6 — knight f8→g6, captures queen.

Tactical themes

advantage, middlegame, short. The key move is Nf8.

Position data

FEN: r1b4k/2qnb1pB/p1n1p1Q1/1p1pPr2/N2P4/P4N2/1P1B2PP/R4RK1 w - - 3 20

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Puzzle data from the Lichess puzzle database (CC0). Analysis powered by Stockfish 18 in your browser.